


Absolute Magnitude

by PanicFOB



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Language, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 17:03:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PanicFOB/pseuds/PanicFOB
Summary: Bucky knows just the thing to cheer you up after your date for a Halloween charity gala cancels on you.





	Absolute Magnitude

You hadn’t been stood up for a date since high school. It was just as humiliating now as it had been back then.

You absolutely hated Lawrence for doing this to you. It’s not as if you had been a couple, but you’d gone on five dates together in the past two months, and you had slept with him at least… well, let’s just say far more than five times. Two weeks ago when Pepper mentioned the Avengers-themed charity gala that was being held in the city for Halloween, you thought it perfectly reasonable to ask Lawrence to go as your date.

Attendance wasn’t mandatory for most of the staff at the compound, except for the original Avengers of course. As you sat in the common area in a plum-colored evening gown, waiting for the man in question to arrive, the minutes ticking by, you watched each member of the Avengers leave with his or her dates. You were close friends with most of the team, and they gave you jovial greetings and smiles as they walked out, looking snazzy in suits and dresses. Tony and Pepper looked lovely as a couple, and you told them as much before they parted the compound. Steve had some gal on his arm whom you’d never seen before. Sam was walking with some gal who looked like Steve’s gal’s sister. Natasha looked gorgeous, and Bruce was absolutely dapper on her arm.

You looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was thirty minutes past when Lawrence was supposed to meet you here. You suspected the two of you might be arriving fashionably late if he didn’t get his ass here soon.

You heard someone coming down the hallway, and you wondered who it might be, thinking that everyone on the team had already left. Bucky Barnes came rounding the corner wearing pajama pants and nothing else. You raised one eyebrow at him, as he flopped down on the couch.

“Not going to the gala?”

“Couldn’t get a date,” he said with a shrug, but you didn’t believe him. Bucky could get a date anytime he wanted.

“Just admit it, you hate having to slick your hair back for these fancy parties,” you teased him.

“Yeah, you got me,” he replied noncommittally as he grabbed the TV remote.

“Don’t you hate being the only one not going?”

“Are you kidding? I look forward to a moment of fuckin’ silence around this place,” his words were serious but there was amusement in his tone. “How ‘bout you? Why are you still here when everyone else has left?”

You looked down at your lap, feeling the embarrassment creep up. “I don’t know. My date was supposed to meet me here a while ago.”

“Lawrence, right?”

“Yeah.”

“That guy’s a dick.”

“How would you know?”

“Because I’ve heard some of the things he says about you when you’re not around.”

Your face flamed in both anger and humiliation. “And you just let him say rude things about me when I’m not there to defend myself?”

“Course not. I tell him to shut his fucking mouth every damn time.”

You were a little surprised. Only a little though. Despite Bucky’s grumpy demeanor, you knew he was a proper gentleman. “Why haven’t you told me about this sooner? Before I’m sat here like an idiot waiting for the guy to take me to this Halloween gala?”

“I don’t meddle in other people’s relationships.”

“You’re meddling now.”

“To be frank Y/N, I don’t think it’s a relationship anymore. It looks like you’ve been stood up, and since that guy’s such a jerk, I doubt he has a good excuse for not being here.”

You looked away from him, frustrated by the hard truth he was telling you and frustrated at yourself for falling for the façade of a guy like Lawrence. You finally pulled your phone out of your purse and noticed a message from five minutes ago.

Lawrence: Sorry, just not feeling it anymore.

Tears threatened to well up in your eyes. “You piece of shit,” you muttered under your breath.

“What’s wrong?” Bucky had been watching you. You looked up to meet his eyes, and he saw that yours were red and filling up with tears. His face fell into deep concern.

“You were right. He ended things over a text.” Your voice was shaky, and you barely managed to get the words out. In a flash, you were being hugged by the strongest of arms, a dark-haired super-soldier holding you tightly against his chest. You let out a sob into his naked pec.

“It’s all right, doll. Like I said, that guy was a dick. You’re better off without him.”

“I know. I didn’t even like him that much… it’s just… why did he have to do this to me tonight… when I’ve already spent money on this dress… and I’ve been sitting here for ages like a fool watching everyone else leave with their dates… why couldn’t he have just ended it a week ago?”

He didn’t say anything for a long time, letting you cry and vent to your heart’s content. His arms never wavered as they held you comfortably. Eventually, your tears dried up, and Bucky loosened his hold only slightly, enough to look down at your defeated face.

“How about you go change into something comfy? I know just the thing to cheer you up.”

You narrowed your eyes in suspicion. “Okay…?”

He pulled you up from the couch. “Just go change. I promise I’ll have you feeling back to yourself by the end of the night.”

Your eyes remained narrowed as you stared at him, slowly walking backward down the hallway toward your room. Just before he was out of your sight, you saw him let out a chuckle at your behavior, shoulders shaking in mirth.

When you returned to the common room in a hoodie and sweat pants, you noticed that Bucky had finally put a shirt on. You silently thanked god that you wouldn’t have to avoid staring at those perfect abs for any longer tonight. He was standing at the kitchen counter, a spoon in each hand, stirring something in two large mugs.

“What’s that?”

“Warm apple cider.”

Your mouth watered at the thought of it. That was your favorite drink during the autumn months, and you were quite surprised that Bucky had taken note of your preferences.

“Wow. It smells delicious,” you said while walking over to him and lowering your nose to the cup, inhaling a giant breath of the wonderful aroma.

“Come on,” he said as he picked up his mug, nodded for you to pick up yours, and grabbed your right hand with his left.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He led you to the top floor of the compound and suddenly stopped in a hallway that wasn’t used very often.

“Hold this, please.” He handed you his apple cider before looking at the ceiling and jumping up to open a door that you had never noticed before. Once it was open, you could see the starry sky above you. You could also feel the brisk October air.

“We can’t go out there, Bucky. It’s cold,” and as you said the words, your teeth involuntarily chattered.

“There are already blankets and pillows up here,” he assured you as he jumped up once again and pulled himself onto the roof.

“Why? What have you been doing up here, Bucky?” you questioned teasingly.

“You’re about to find out, doll. Now pass the drinks up.” You did so carefully. He disappeared for a moment, presumably setting the mugs down somewhere safe from spillage. Then, he was reaching that strong metal arm down for you to grab onto. You let out an embarrassing squeal as he pulled you up in an instant. Once you’d had a moment to collect yourself, you noticed that he did indeed have a mountain of cozy looking pillows and blankets here on the roof. There was a small patio table up here as well, currently holding your steaming cups of cider.

You stood motionless as you watched Bucky arrange the blankets and pillows before laying down with his arms folded underneath his head.

“You just gonna stand there all night?”

“You still haven’t told me what you have planned,” you said as you slowly walked toward the lounging man.

“Stargazing.”

“Stargazing? That’s your thing? Seriously?”

“What’s wrong with stargazing?” he said in a defensive tone.

“Nothing, I suppose.” You took your place next to him on the blanket, grabbing a sip of cider before laying down. “Just not an activity I pictured the Winter Soldier doing with his spare time.”

“Well, you don’t have to picture it anymore. You’re an eye witness.”

You laughed, but it was interrupted by your body shivering once again.

Bucky didn’t say a word as he pulled you into his side and draped another large blanket over you both.

“So, what are we looking at?” you asked him quietly, not wanting to break the peacefulness of the moment.

He pointed to a bright spot in the sky. “That star right there, that’s Vega.”

“Why’s it so bright?”

“Just depends on the time of year. Plus, Vega has an absolute magnitude of about 0.6,” he answered.

“I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound very impressive.”

“It’s a way to gauge the luminosity of celestial objects. That’s actually a pretty impressive number, the lower the better. Vega is the sixth brightest star in the sky, if you’re looking from Earth.”

“So, what you’re saying is: it’s bright because it’s bright.”

“Basically yeah.”

“Everything in the sky has an absolute magnitude?”

“All the stars do. For things in this solar system, they refer to apparent magnitude because they’re so close.”

“So, only things far away get an absolute magnitude. That’s not fair.”

“Oh? Do you think the poor planets are going to be upset over it?” he teased you.

“I think everything should get an absolute magnitude. In fact, I think yours is at least a negative 2.7.”

Bucky let out a low whistle. “Doll, I didn’t realize you were so fond of me.”

“It’s only because you’re so cheery and practically glowing all the time,” you said sarcastically.

He reached his right arm over to tickle your side, and you squirmed away from his quick fingers. “What about me, what’s my absolute magnitude?” you inquired with a giggle.

You were looking up at him, but he refused to meet your soft gaze. You waited in silence for several long moments, suddenly very nervous about what his answer might be.

“A negative ten,” he whispered.

“Yeah right, Bucky. That’s an over-exaggeration if I’ve ever heard one.” You felt a slight flush over his flattery.

“It’s not,” his voice was deadly serious. “You’re the most luminous person I’ve ever met.”

And then it was clear to you why Bucky always seemed to be around when you needed comforting, why he wanted nothing more than to cheer you up tonight, why he might not have wanted to go to the gala with any other women in the first place. Bucky thought of you as the brightest star, and your heart was beating out of your chest. This man, whom you had always found attractive but so far out of your league, had a tender spot just for you. You weren’t sure how you had missed it, the obvious care when he looked at you, but you were overwhelmingly grateful to be realizing it now.

“I don’t know what to say to that, Bucky.” Your voice was gentle and breathless.

He turned his head toward yours, at last. “Don’t need to say anything, doll.”

You could see the stars reflecting in his steel-blue eyes, perhaps you could even distinguish Vega in them. As Bucky molded his lips to yours, you knew you’d never forget the absolute magnitude of this October night. The brightness you saw behind your eyelids as you melted into him would be ingrained in your vision forever.


End file.
